Different Voices

“The exchange of ideas is always positive and necessary and it is easier to exchange views when there are two, three or four of you. With 25, it is much more difficult.” French President Jacques Chirac defending his controversial meeting with leaders of Germany and the UK last week in Berlin.

“I draw up a budget worth 1.24% of GDP, centring on research and development, and they criticize me…then they cannot complain if European research workers go off to the US because there is a lack of funding for R&D here. You cannot aspire to be a ballet dancer if you have a low-slung bottom.” European Commission President Romano Prodi, musing on member states’ attempts to keep EU budget under 1% of GDP.

“Nothing has really changed and one wonders what this Commission has been doing the past five years…not only the Commission, but also other institutions, such as the Parliament, need a drastic shake-up.” Dutch whistleblower Paul van Buitenen unveiling ‘Europa Transparent’, his bid to clean up the EU by way of the European Parliament elections.

“It is fitting the Greens are launching the first real European party as the Greens were also the first party to take Europe seriously …I am not running for election in the European Parliament and I am not running for a job in the Commission. But I am proud to run for my party.” German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, at the European Greens Congress in Rome.